A. The Superintendent of Public Instruction is encouraged to implement school/community team training.

B. The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall provide direction and technical assistance to local school divisions in the revision of their Vocational Education curriculum and instructional practices.

C. The Superintendent of Public Instruction, in cooperation with the Commissioner of Social Services, shall encourage local departments of social services and local school divisions to work together to develop cooperative arrangements for the use of school resources, especially computer labs, for the purpose of training Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients for the workforce.

D. Notwithstanding § 4-1.04 a 3 of this act, the Superintendent of Public Instruction may apply for grant funding to be used by local school divisions consistent with the provisions of Chapter 447, 1999 Acts of Assembly. The nongeneral fund appropriation for this agency shall be adjusted by the amount of the proceeds of any such grant awards.

E. 1. Out of the appropriations in this item, $1,300,000 the first year and $1,300,000 the second year from the general fund is provided to support students and teachers pursuing information technology industry certifications. The funding shall be used to provide outreach, training, instructional resources, industry recognized certification opportunities for teachers and students enrolled in Virginia public high schools and regional career and technical education programs, and information technology curriculum resources for use by students' parents.

2. The funds provided in this initiative shall be used to support the following priority objectives: a) increase the percentage of students enrolled in career and technical education courses who receive instruction in information technology leading to an increased number of students achieving industry recognized certifications in information technology; b) increase the number of high schools and regional career and technical education programs that receive the training and technical support to be ready to implement information technology curricula leading to increased statewide implementation and use; c) increase the number of teachers teaching targeted career and technical education courses and other high school teachers who receive training in information technology and in industry recognized certifications leading to an increased number of teachers achieving industry recognized certifications in information technology; and, d) support implementation of information technology curricula in school divisions in Southside and Southwest Virginia so that implementation in those regions is at least comparable to implementation in other regions of Virginia.

F. Out of the appropriation in this Item, $413,000 the first year and $413,000 the second year from the general fund is provided for the Department of Education to continue a professional development program intended to increase the capacity of principals as school leaders in under-performing schools.

G. Out of the appropriation in this Item, $366,000 the first year and $366,000 the second year from the general fund is provided to the Department of Education to assist local school divisions, as needed, to establish criteria for the professional development of teachers and principals on the subject of issues related to high-needs students.

H. a. Out of this appropriation, $1,350,000 the first year and $1,350,000 the second year from the general fund is provided through the Department of Education to the University of Virginia to continue statewide implementation of the Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program conducted in the fall, and to develop and implement a post-assessment upon the conclusion of the kindergarten year.

b. The Department of Education shall coordinate with the University of Virginia's Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning to ensure that all school divisions shall be required to have their kindergarten students assessed during the school year using the multi-dimensional kindergarten readiness assessment model no later than by the end of the school year 2019-2020, and annually thereafter. All school divisions shall be required to have their kindergarten students assessed with such model.

c. Further, out of this appropriation, $100,000 the first year and $100,000 the second year from the general fund shall be allocated to University of Virginia's Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning to provide training to school divisions annually on how to effectively use Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program data to improve instructional practices and student learning. Such teacher focused professional development and training shall be prioritized for the school divisions that would most benefit from state assistance in order to provide more time for classroom instruction and student learning.

d. The Department and the University of Virginia's Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning shall use the results of the multi-dimensional Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program assessments to determine how well the Virginia Preschool Initiative promotes readiness in all key developmental domains assessed. The Department shall submit such findings using data from the prior year's fall assessment to the Chairmen of House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees no later than October 1, 2019, and annually thereafter.

I. The Department of Education, in cooperation with the Departments of Health, Social Services, and Planning & Budget, shall convene a workgroup facilitated by the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation, to examine opportunities including, but not limited to, leveraging existing funds targeted to early childhood development with the goal of identifying strategies and mechanisms for developing an Integrated Early Childhood Fund. The findings of the workgroup shall be provided by October 15, 2018, to the Joint Subcommittee on the Virginia Preschool Initiative, and shall articulate the potential for existing but underutilized appropriations including, but not limited to, unused Virginia Preschool Initiative funds and TANF, and other funds to support administrative costs that would assist with more fully drawing down federal CACFP funds. The purpose of the Integrated Early Childhood Fund shall be to more feasibly implement the cohesive and efficient administration of early childhood resources, increasing access to quality early childhood services for at-risk children with little additional fiscal impact on the Commonwealth's budget.